The Infinite Time Loops - Magi-Nation
by Tanglemorph
Summary: The World-Tree/Computer thing is broken. And it's taking Ages for the Administrators to fix things. The solution? Put all universes into a state of repeating time. These are the Loops that never end, and we welcome you my friend. Come inside, where Magi-Nation (and crazy events) lie in store...
1. To Start Things Off

To make a long story VERY short, Yggdrasil, the World Tree, ended up being catastrophically broken. To fix the great tree, each of its branches - separate worlds and universes - have been placed into Groundhog Day style Time Loops. However, there are a few catches.

1. The person who remembers all the resets is called an Anchor. Anchors make sure that their universes don't fall to pieces. Every world has an Anchor.  
>2. People who sporadically remember the resets - called Loops - are termed Loopers. There are a lot of these floating about. They are really strong.<br>, there are people who know of the loops but do not loop themselves - they are called Dreamers.  
>4. The people trying to fix Yggdrasil are mythological gods. Because Yggdrasil works like a computer, they are called Admins.<br>5. Certain events - Ascending to the Admin level, Crashing a Loop, Erasing entire universes - are considered very bad things.  
>6. Certain indviduals wish to enact said Very Bad Things. These are known as MLEs - Malicious Looping Entities.<br>7. Branches can occasionally intersect in odd ways; these are called Fused Loops.  
>8. EVERY LOOPER LEARNS HOW TO USE A <strong>SUBSPACE POCKET<strong>. SERIOUSLY, THOSE THINGS ARE **AWESOME**! YOU CAN STORE _**EVERYTHING**_ INSIDE IT! When it get's big enough, at least.

Well, that's it for the "Welcome to the Multiverse" Speech. Now, onward to snips!

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><p>- Magi-Nation (GBC) 1.1 -<p>

Tavel Gorge, 5:32 PM. Tuesday. Month undisclosed, year unknown.

The first thing Tony found odd about the situation was being called "Foney Bones" again. The second thing odd was that he was outside the cave where he had found Furok's Animite. And the third thing odd was that despite all these things, he could still feel the energy he had gained from his travels in the Moonlands. The raw, unrelenting power of the Dreams that marked him as a Magi.

Just like before, Tony agreed to go into the cave to retrieve the crystal. Despite knowing what would happen because of it, a part of him desperately wanted to see all of his Eliwan friends again; wanted to pummel Agram into little bits of paste for what the Ancient had dared to do. And just like before, taking the Animite crystal resulted in the cave's collapse. He didn't run this time though. He knew what would happen if he did; knew that no matter how far he ran, he would just end up at a dead end. And so he fell, once again somehow traversing time and space to end up falling into the lake near Vash Naroom.

He didn't know whether to be happy or sad to see Korg and Zet again. The two bumbling Core Magi (or at least, one bumbling Core Magi and one smart-but-short Core Magi) didn't seem to notice that anything was wrong, didn't seem to notice that time had reset. Tony had to repress a grin. Maybe, just maybe, dealing with these two would be fun.

When Korg Summoned the Black Agovo, Tony debated whether to Summon Furok, or to use Leaf Cut on the offending Core Creature. The Leaf Cut won out, despite how close he was to Furok. The look on the Core Magi's face was well worth it, and fortunately less conspicuous than Summoning without a Ring.

Despite knowing his way around and despite being much stronger, it was with great relief that Tony noticed Eidon approaching. Gia's student was always a welcome friend here. "Eidon, do you know what's happening? Time has somehow reset, Korg and Zet don't remember me (even though that makes sense), and I'm a lot stron-"

"EXPLODING SOCK PUPPET!"

Oh yeah, there was that. He'd forgotten all about that.

It was only after he defeated Agram that he started to wonder. Last time, he had found himself back at the cave after returning home. Hopefully this wouldn't be like some sort of Groundhog Day -

"Foney Bones is more like it!"

Loop. Of course it would be.

Here we go again.

- END SNIP -

- Magi-Nation GBC 1.2 -

"NO, Eidon! You think someone is Kyros every year! Let's see, who was it last year? Poad? What were you thinking?!" Tony heard Eidon mutter something about superhuman soup; he had heard Orwin's shouting match with Eidon a couple of times now, and while it had been awkward to listen in the first time, currently it just left a sour feeling in his stomach.

"And before that was Yaki! We couldn't shut him up for months! He went around shouting OOOH YEAH! I'M THE GREAT MAGUS KYROS! DIG IT! WOOO!"

Tony almost wished that it was the optimistic Magi who was Kyros. If only someone else had the burden instead, had to face Agram's ranting about destruction. Tony had tried to stay home once. He had tried to avoid being Agram's "key", the sole reason the Core Magi could create the awful Shadow Geysers. It had resulted in Core energy radiating out of the Cave and corrupting everyone in Tavel Gorge.

If he couldn't prevent Agram's actions by avoidance, then by the Core he would make sure he was strong enough to stop Agram quickly.

"... must be the boy."

Orwin's words caught Tony's ear, and he shook himself from his reverie to "greet" the old Magi.

"Yes. Tony, I'd like you to meet Orwin, Elder of Vash Naroom."

Yes, stronger would definitely be good. Maybe this time he'd focus on Spell instead of relying on Dream Creatures. Relics wouldn't hurt either.

- END SNIP -

- Magi-Nation GBC 1.3 -

Tony couldn't fathom how - in his many, many trips around the cycle, this abomination had occurred. This loop seemed to have had everything replaced by pink fluffy unicorns. They were bridges and water and lips doing that flappy _fpthty_ thing. There were also rainbows - lots of rainbows that became rain-posies. Water flowed in the sky and the bees seemed to have created a collision monarch opposing the doors.

"Core-take it! What in the world caused this - this - this - mess?!"

He spotted Yaki nearby, and was relieved to see that his friend was unaffected by what was going on. "Yaki, please tell me that everything is normal right now. Please!"

Yaki just grinned and then the grin went sideways into a mess of distorted colors and sounds. Through the Chaos Tony ran, though the only thing he could hear was a single word, repeated over and over and over until Tony was afraid that would start glitching as well. Through it all Yaki just stared at him with soulless white eyes.

_**"One."**_

Didn't take long for him to find Pruitt. In retrospect however, it was probably for the best. She was twirling merrily to an UnSound, and as she danced, the floor started to become puddles everywhere and the world _twisted_ - He caught a glimpse of her eyes - glowing white and soulless. Lips spilt further than they should and her voice was not her own. Tony didn't stick around to find out what was going on or who had spoken. He started heading for the city gates, hoping to avoid whatever this THING was.

_**"Two."**_

In his frantic dash to get away from whatever _it_ was, Tony ran headlong into someone crossing the street. The earthling apologized profusely, trying to help the stranger stand.

The guy looked kind of Underneathien, even if his fungus-hair was coloured weird (Seriously? Purple and Turquoise? What was up with that?). The kid seemed to be clutching his head and in great pain. It was about then that Tony realized that everything had become shadows and reaching mushrooms and the street seemed longer than it should have been. Then it was as if reality _twisted again_ and the kid's eyes were empty gleaming white and Tony ran once more from the rasping un-voice that followed him.

_**"Three."**_

Tony hadn't found anyone who was even remotely sane around town. Everything was somehow _wrong_ and there was nothing he could do. All tony could rely on was himself, and even then it might not be enough. He was currently trapped inside a bathroom and - he glanced over at the toilet. Everything was sideways and the shadows where cackling at him from who knows where. Tony tried to gather his failing courage and glanced in the mirror behind him. His own reflection stared back and began to laugh. An ugly, grating laugh that emerged from within Tony himself.

Hollow white eyes stared back at a mad, laughing boy with no clue about what was going on. Tony's lips split open in that manic grin and spoke a single word.

_**"Four."**_

All the world was white and Tony blinked a few times to get his bearings. As his vision adjusted, he noticed a rather... loosely dressed woman standing in front of a high school holding some pamphlets.

He stumbled over to her (and tried his best to avoid her highly endowed features) to try and get his bearings. "Hi, I seem to have gotten lost. Could you tell me where I am?"

She _smiled_ at him like a cat cornering her prey. The voice she used to greet him was another warning bell; it was far too high pitched and _seductive_ to belong to a normal person. "Hi! We're dedicated to serving your every need, and we hope that your stay will be a _very pleasant one. _**WELCOME TO EIKEN!"**

- END SNIP -

- Magi-Nation 1.3 - Admin Aftermath -

The message kept flashing irritatingly on Breksta's screen. The same message that had been playing for about an hour now. The one singular irritating message that signified that the-thrice-Nhiddhog-taken-stupid-love-spam goddess was at it again. By the time Thoth arrived (with a welcome cup of coffee), the ticked-off night goddess was trying to burn a hole in aforementioned spam.

"Am I correct in my present assumption that your most up-to-date endeavour to secure the terms and restrictions of the Magine Code concluded with Aphrodite conveying intrusive mail at an inopportune moment?" Thoth handed her the cup of coffee (she preferred _Klah_ when she could get it) and set a fairly substantial stack of papers next to his terminal. "You are aware that you may invoke paragraph 213 of section .2 of the _Proper Actions and Administration Etiquette Accord_?"

Breksta glared at him over her coffee. "It's not just Eiken-Spam. Hermes knows we get enough of that stuff; I think he's been trying to contact IT in his spare time to handle it. No, the problem is that those Nhiddhog-Taken hackers infected the email with a virus. Said virus crashed the loop and sent my Anchor to Eiken!"

Thoth looked over to her from his terminal. "I surmise that your emotions are feeling rather affronted as of present?"

Breksta almost made to shatter her cup. "My duty is to protect those in my branches. Punishment is to be solely for misdeeds and improper conduct, not thrown about willy-nilly by a stupid virus!"

Thoth rolled his chair over to Breksta's station and opened up the code for the glitch. "Hmmm... This seems reminiscent of a malfunction Hephastus encountered in the Mega-Man Loop Branch pre-Crash. I would advocate transporting the data you have gathered to him; your twofold operation might be able to compose an alternative stratagem to better combat the virus's menace and inhibit it's further distribution."

Breksta sighed. "I know, it's just that I want to prove that I can handle whatever get's thrown my way."

Thoth smiled at her. "You have not yet accumulated the knowledge that every Admin is place in a postion where requesting assistance is not a negative prospect." He turned back to his own terminal. "I am afraid that my current situation requires me to monitor the most recent Baseline Expansion for my assigned branch. I hope that you will be able to eliminate your current dilemma post-haste."

Breksta glanced at the screen and the still-present horrendous cursive. It took a few tense minutes to delete the email and clean her terminal of the Virus, but it was worth it in the end. "I can always get revenge on Aphrodite later; maybe I'll take Thoth up on the _Regulations_ thing. Right now, I have the Magining code to work on!"

- END SNIP -

- Magi-Nation 1.4 -

Tony sat dejectedly outside of Gia's cottage. He had hoped to come to the elderly Weave Magi for advice; had hoped that by some miracle she would know what to do. And after the past two loops - the horrible failings of the universe itself and that awful _thing_ that pretended to be normal... he was at the end of his rope. He was unwilling to go home until this whole mess had sorted itself out, which meant that he had voluntarily isolated himself from his family. How many months - how many _years_ had it been since he'd seen them? Some nights he felt like he couldn't take it; felt like he just wanted to scream or cry or do something to alleviate the horrible, lonely ache that was growing inside. But as of yet, he couldn't bear to go inside. He didn't dare tell Gia what was happening.

Gia watched the earthling silently from inside her hut. "Something is wrong with him, Eidon. The weight he bears inside... has he told you what it is?"

The Naroomi shook his head. "No. Like I said, I found him near the forest lake with a hunk of raw animite. He handled himself well against the two Shadow Magi that assailed him - Dreamed up a Furok from the hunk without any practice or training. I tried to introduce him to Orwin, but he refused to believe that the boy could be Kyros."

Gia propped her elbows up on the table and steepled her fingers. "And are you so sure that him being Kyros is a good thing?" Noticing her pupil's confused expression, she sighed. "The prophecy says that Kyros will appear during a time of destruction. What if Kyros is meant to bring that destruction? What will you do then? Can you handle placing that burden - that horrible terror on his shoulders?"

Eidon's fingers traced a well-worn knot in the wood of the table as he contemplated his teacher's words. "I don't know. I certainly don't want to trouble him any more than he is, but I've spent so long believing that Kyros would bring salvation... I can't give up the hope that we'll get through all of this safely."

Gia smiled warmly and placed one wrinkled hand on top of his. "I'm sure we will. But even if he is our saviour, we can't rely on him to act alone. I cannot allow it – we all need each other in order to grow strong. Let the stronger grasses support the weak."

Eidon nodded. "I trust your wisdom." He glanced outside at the slumped red figure. "Do you want me to bring him inside?"

Gia stood up and made for the door. "It would certainly be rude of us to leave him out all night."

Tony had taken to plucking pieces of grass and flicking them everywhere. Despite his dejection, he was determined to defeat Agram as soon as possible. That, however, was dependant on the Shadow Magi creating the Geysers – and there was no telling how long that would take.

He was so distracted that he didn't notice Gia until the Weaver Elder was standing right behind him – and it gave him a bad fright.

"Aagh! Gia! What are you doing there; don't sneak up on me like that."

The Elder laughed. "The wind moves unnoticed by the grass; so do I move unnoticed by those of distracted thought. Please, come inside. Night will be here soon and we can't have you sleeping in the dirt, now can we?"

Tony blushed. "Thank you for offering; I'm sorry to be such a burden on you."

Gia placed her hands on her hips. "No talk of that; you're hardly a burden and we're more than happy to help you." Her gaze softened and she placed one hand on his shoulder. "No matter what troubles you, you only need to ask and we shall listen."

Tony couldn't help a few tears coming to his eyes. "I know, it's just – I don't know if you'd quite understand, or if you'd even know how to help."

Gia shook her head. "Sometimes the ability to help matters not. Sometimes all it takes is a friendly ear to listen and a caring shoulder to cry on."

Tony considered her offer. "Can I tell you after dinner? I'm kind of hungry right now."

This made Gia laugh again. "Of course. Come inside; I'm sure that we'll be able to scrounge something up."

After they had eaten, Tony told them everything. About how time was repeating itself, about what he had seen happen, and about Agram.

"That certainly explains a few things." Gia said. "You being Agadon's reincarnation in particular; Agram's hatred for the first Magi would be unparalleled, and of course he would ensure that the Geysers required the presence of his greatest enemy in order to activate." Noticing the Earthling's glum mood, she moved to comfort him. "It's not your fault in the slightest. That crotchety old ancient is the only one to blame in this situation; you just happened to have the bad luck to get mixed up in all of this."

Tony sighed. "I know. It still doesn't make things any easier to deal with though. He always gives me the speech; he promises to send me home if I don't fight him. Sometimes I'm tempted to accept, but… I can't help but worry about what will happen if I don't fight him."

Eidon nodded, his face grim. "And you can't exactly rely on us to handle things in your stead. From what you've said, it seems that we never remember like you do. I'm sure that if we did, then we could help to make things easier on you. And who knows? Maybe one day we will remember."

Tony brightened at that. "Do you really think so?"

Gia smiled. "Most certainly. It may be many, many years before we do, but I am most certain that one day we will take note of what is happening. Until that time, we can only move forward."

Eidon started as he realized something. "Tony, have you ever tried to take a different path?"

Tony frowned and grasped his chin in thought. "No, not really. I usually try to help Orwin as fast as possible – even try to stop him from entering the Geyser – but since Agram sometimes varies when he opens the Geysers and I usually have to act fast in order to prevent bad things from happening, I haven't had much time to try shaking things up. Why, what did you have in mind?"

Eidon smirked. "A resistance." He turned to his teacher and smiled. "Gia has often taught me that strength comes from co-operation; if you can somehow find a way to get each region to fight back while you're in the Geyser – and especially if you can find a way to extend the Core Glyph's protection to others – then you'll be able to at least relax a little. And when we remember, we'll be able to set it up on our own. It'll take some time to do efficiently, but we should eventually be able to let you relax a little with your family." The Naroomi Magi found himself the recipient of a sudden hug, the Earthling's tears soaking his brown robe. "It'll be okay, I promise. We'll find a way to make this work."

Gia nodded. "You shouldn't have to suffer this burden. If ever we can do something – even if we don't remember – please, don't hesitate to visit. We would be happy to help you no matter what."

Tony wiped his tears away on the sleeve of his hoodie. "Thank you, so much." He paused for a moment, and took a deep breath. "But what if something like last time happens?"

Both Magi were puzzled by that. "Last time?" Eidon asked. "What happened last time?"

Tony grimaced; he didn't like to think about it. "I arrived here no problem and everything was going okay until I visited Orwin. Then the world started to go nuts, and eventually it just sort of… glitched out and everything went white. When I came to, I was in this weird high-school place (high school is an Earth thing) where everybody wanted to… to…" Tony stopped speaking, desperately trying to forget what had happened. "Anyways, it was really bad. So what do I do if that sort of thing happens again?"

Gia frowned. "I suppose it depends on how badly the world 'glitches' as you put it. If it's not that bad, then find a way to roll with it. If not… come and see us the next possible time you can. If there's something we can do to help, then we will."

Eidon's smile returned. "But enough of that. This time around, you won't be going it alone. I don't care how many times I have to fight against that barrier, I _will_ be joining you. You can count on that."

For the first time in ages, Tony felt content. And this time around, he was actually looking forward to stopping Agram. The future felt a little brighter.

- END SNIP -

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><p>So, that's it for Loops 1. Hopefully soon - Loops 2!<p> 


	2. Prologue to Awakening, Parts 1-9

Here's the next part of the Magi-Nation Loops. This is part of a longer set, and it'll be a while before it's finished.

* * *

><p>- Prologue to Awakening -<p>

Part 1. To Reach for the Past

Time had wound back again almost two dozen times now, and Tony was once again heading to Pruitt the Ringsmith's shop in order to have his Furok Animite forged into a ring. The process was somewhat saddening, always knowing that he would never again see his very first Dream Creature. His Furok was a mighty, bear-like beast with branching antlers - and, unlike most Furoks, blue. His blue Furok. A Creature he had Magined himself, weaving it out of Dreams and into reality.

Tony paused mid-step as something occurred to him. All this time spent reliving the same days, and he hadn't once tried to learn the ancient art. It would certainly make his life much easier; no longer would he have to ransack the Shadowhold searching for the Cloud Frond!

Tony smiled, and resumed his journey with an eager spring in his step. Yes, this would prove to be a most useful skill indeed.

The skill itself, however, proved to be far more elusive than the concept. Tony was no longer a stranger to channeling Dream Energy; one of the benefits of all the repetition was that he seemed to keep up his level of strength despite the clock being turned back. Neither was he a stranger to Dreaming up a Creature any more, able to call upon his allies as skillfully as any Moonlands-born Magi.

The problem lay in the creation itself. No matter what he tried - be it a ring, a Relic (He only had an Archaic Leaf at the moment, but it counted) or even a Core-taken Baloo Root - he couldn't seem to find out a way to focus the energy needed to shape the Magined object. By now, all of his attempts were starting to take a toll on his Energy Levels; using the Focus skill and his various healing items simply weren't refreshing him as they should at the moment. He sighed and checked the sun's position; it hung low in the lavender sky, which itself was turning a deep mauve on the opposite horizon.

"Guess I'd better get to Poad's Inn." Tony picked himself up from where he'd been sitting and stretched his arms above his head. "I probably have a couple more days before the first Geyser erupts; hopefully I'll be able to Magine something substantial by then."

Tony made his way out of the square and headed for the southwestern corner of Vash Naroom; when he'd first visited the Moonlands, he'd gotten hopelessly lost. By now though, he'd spent a great deal of time learning how to navigate the winding pathways and the various secret corners. The Inn was always a welcome site, carved into the trunk of a great tree. Many of his friends could also be found there, and the establishment had become a meeting-house of sorts for the Naroomi people. It almost felt like home by now.

A filling meal later found Tony tucking into bed, ready for a hard-earned sleep. Tomorrow was a new day, and a chance to set things right.

In the darkness of the Glade, a tendril of Void magic began to seep out of the ground, hungry for the Life-Magic of Naroom's forest. The Shadow Geyser had begun to grow.

- END SNIP -

- Magi-Nation Loops - Prologue to Awakening -

Part 2. A Shadow of Disaster

Tony jerked awake to a horribly familiar shaking and stumbled out of bed to the window. It seemed that the Geyser plan had been implemented as quickly as possible, since he could see the horrible plume of dark energy shooting into the sky and blocking out the light of the grey-green planet above. The Earthling Magi didn't hesitate for a moment as he ran out the door, trying to keep his balance. It was the first time the Geyser had formed at night, and Tony could see various Magi coming out of their houses to stare at the horror that was growing in the Glade. No time to waste then; he was tired of Orwin always being hurt. Every single time, Orwin had tried to enter the Geyser and was struck ill by the vile magic of the Core.

Not this time. This time, Tony was closer to the Entrance of Vash Naroom. This time he could get to the glade before Orwin. He could make sure Korg and Zet weren't an issue (but then, the bumbling Korg never was an issue), and maybe, just maybe, prevent Orwin from trying to enter the Geyser. With these thoughts in mind, he made his way through the crowd to the city gates.

The Glade was pleasantly empty when Tony arrived. No Korg, no Zet and best of all, no Orwin. Hesitantly, Tony approached the accursed gate to the Geyser. He had never tried to enter without the Core Glyph before; it might be that he would be as badly injured as the Elder.

He was about to place his hand on the barrier when it was snatched away. He turned around and found that it was not Orwin who had stopped him. "Yaki! What are you doing here?"

The Trainer's face was grim. "Stopping you from making a pretty big mistake, oh yeah." He released Tony's hand and motioned for the Earthling to follow him. "I saw you running out of town and figure that you'd be headin' here. I followed you and saw you about to touch that thing - it's gotta be bad for your health, ya dig?"

Tony frowned and tried to avoid meeting the elder Magi's eyes. "I'm sorry. I just didn't want anyone else to be hurt."

Yaki raised an eyebrow at this. "Oh yeah? You must've had some harsh days back home to think that you can carry the burden alone. We'd stand a better chance together." He paused to vault over a fallen log, and smiled as he watched Tony try to do the same. "Orwin might know what that thing is, and if he doesn't, then the Great Library might hold some clues."

Tony had to admit that even though Yaki had an exuberant and energetic way of talking, the Trainer was a good friend to have around. And he did have a point about talking to Orwin... His eyes widened as a though occurred to him. The Great Library of Vash Naroom contained three thousand years of wisdom - knowledge from when true Magining was common place. Even if he couldn't change things right now, it just might be a good place to find the missing piece to his own Magining problem.

Tonight may have been sudden and shocking, but by no means uneventful. Now he just needed to survive Orwin's wrath.

- END SNIP -

- Magi-Nation Loops - Prologue to Awakening -

Part 3: Progress Made

By the time Tony and Yaki returned to Vash Naroom, the Earthling Magi's thoughts were anxiously flitting about over the possibilities of finding the answer to his Magining problem. All it would take was a few short hours in the Great Library - and it looked like Yaki had led him straight to Orwin's house while the boy was lost in thought. He entered the room - relieved, at least, to find that his actions this time had prevented the Elder's debilitating injuries.

Orwin did not share that relief. "What were you thinking! I specifically ordered you not to leave the village!" At this he spun on Yaki, who had already braced himself. "And you! Do you realize that if you'd been killed, we would have lost one of our greatest advantages? YOU ARE THE TRAINER FOR VASH NAROOM! IT IS YOUR JOB TO MAKE SURE FUTURE GENERATIONS KNOW HOW TO FIGHT!"

Yaki stared steadfastly ahead. "I did what I had to do. Eidon asked me to train the kid earlier, and I look after those in my charge. Bottom line is, those I look after won't get hurt, ya dig?"

Orwin sighed and rubbed his brow wearily. "I should have known. Eidon may be a talented Magi, but I fear that his recklessness has rubbed off on the two of you. Tony, I understand that you want to go home, but that thing " - Here he gestured to the Geyser, visible in the distance through the window - "Is extremely dangerous, and it could have killed you." By this point, Orwin looked no longer like the Elder of Vash Naroom. He was instead a tired old man, with age, experience and the inability to use them properly. "It is a sight I wish I could have avoided seeing in my lifetime. That is a Shadow Geyser; it's comprised of pure void energy, and it will eventually corrupt all that dwells here. All life - plants, Dream Creatures and even Magi will fall victim to the evil that it spreads. And despite all that, there is one thing that is much worse than the side effects of the Geyser. They act as a signal - a beacon to call our ancient enemies into battle once more.

"The Invaders." Yaki's face was grim and tired - the face of countless battles lost and won. "If the Invaders come, then we're all done for. Agram will have won his sorry game at last."

Agram. The mere mention of the name caught Tony's attention. It was the name of his arch enemy; an Ancient Magi who believed that giving magical secrets to the supposedly "lesser" Eliwan was nothing less than treachery. The same Ancient who had betrayed his own kind three thousand years ago and had been imprisoned in the Core for his crimes by Agadon. And Agadon was either Tony himself's Ancestor, or pre-Incarnation. And for Yak to have mentioned Agram's name meant that the Trainer was hiding some secrets of his own. But for now, however...

"Orwin, I'm really sorry for disobeying your orders. But I was closest to the gates, so I figured that I would get there the fastest." Tony paused for a moment. "I guess... A part of me thought that the big current of obviously evil energy might get me back home."

Orwin smiled; it was a rare thing, since in all of the resets, Tony had never seen him do so. "I understand why you did it, but I do ask that you remain in Vash Naroom for a while longer. At the very least, I won't have you going out there untrained –" and here he turned back to Yaki " – And this time I want him FULLY TRAINED. None of your basics, boy."

Yaki smiled and snapped a salute to the Elder. "Yes sir! I'm totally diggin' what yer sayin'!

Orwin was about to turn away, when Tony realized his opportunity and spoke up. "Um, Orwin?" The old Magi glanced at Tony, and the Earthling couldn't tell if he was angry or serious. "Um, when I first arrived, Eidon mentioned something called Magining. He said I did it with my animite – before I turned it into a ring – and that he'd never seen anything like it. I've been trying hard to replicate what happened, but I'm having a lot of trouble. Would it be possible for me to go into the Great Library? You know, just in case they have a book on Magining in there."

Orwin looked at Tony in shock. His previous assumptions of the boy had been thrown completely out the window. "Eidon never mentioned Magining to me – perhaps because I wouldn't let him, but still! I hadn't guessed that you possessed such an Ancient ability! Tell me, what was it that you Magined?"

Tony rocked nervously on the balls of his feet. "It was only for a brief moment, but I summoned a blue bear-thing with antlers – Eidon called it a Furok, and said it was bigger than normal. When I had it made into a ring though, every time I try to call out that Blue Furok, it ends up being brown."

Orwin narrowed his eyebrows in thought. "Hmmm… Perhaps it's merely due to inexperience…. You certainly know very little about the Moonlands in addition…"

Although he only regarded the subject for a moment or two, those moments were tense and suspenseful. Tony was glad that his hoodie hid some of his sweat, and was definitely glad that it hid his quavering frame.

"I've made my decision, Boy." Orwin's voice startled the Earthling, even though he was expecting it. "You may indeed peruse the Great Library, but you must remain under guard at all times. No need to worry about learning to read – your translator bracelet will suffice. Yaki – " Here the Naroomi Magi stood at attention after trying to glance up the stairs into the Astronomy Chamber – "I want you to find Woot. He's probably the only Magi in Naroom who can possibly keep up with an energetic, near _suicidal_ –" Here he glared at Tony "- and unpredictable person like Tony."

Yaki clasped one fist to his breast and bowed. "It shall be done Elder. Oh YEAH!"

Tony winced at Yaki's farewell. "Orwin, if I get good enough at Magining… do you think that I could cure that corruption you were talking about?"

Orwin placed on hand on Tony's shoulder and looked him in the eye. "Tony, that sort of Magining is extremely difficult and would take Eons to master. Considering that we want you to get home as soon as possible, I suspect that by journey's end, at most you'd be able to Magine a Baloo Root. Still, that shouldn't affect your ability to try… one of these days, you might just end up surprising me."

Tony watched as the Magi Elder slowly climbed the stairs to the observatory.

_"One of these days, huh?"_ Tony didn't care if he had a bemused expression on his face or not. _"From what it looks like, I pretty much have eternity on my side. And for those times when I can't stop you, I'll eventually be able to save you fast enough that "one of these days" is going to be "pretty darn quick" from your perspective."_

Tony glanced up the stairs one last time, and then strode out the door to head for the town square. It was the most likely place to meet up with Yaki and this Woot fellow. And besides, he had a few questions for the Trainer to answer.

- END PART 3 -

- Magi-Nation Loops - Prologue to Awakening -

Part 4: Two Heads, One Problem

The next few days dawned grey and gloomy, with the Geyser's miasma pervading all of Naroom. Tony had never remained in Vash Naroom when the Geyser erupted before; he had always been sent away to see Gia as soon as possible. And thus he had never before experienced the full power of the Geyser. His heart felt heavy and his body was like lead; each movement seemed to take an eternity to complete. Beneath it all was a subtle whisper; a sick attraction to the Geyser that repulsed him to his core.

Slipping out of his bed, Tony tossed on a spare set of clothes that Yaki had lent him. The Naroomi-made garments were autumn colored and surprisingly comfortable; he was certain that when time ceased its many repetitions, he would hardly be the same person as before.

That made him think of something that he had noticed while perusing the library. Yaki was occasionally asked to watch him instead of Woot, and the elder Magi seemed more battle-worn than other times. His movements were silent and often went unnoticed, while his eyes darted about and kept watch on the shadows. Tony was certain that it had something to do with the mention of Agram in Orwin's house that first night. No Magi should know about Agram yet, and the fact that Yaki did was telling.

Tony splashed some water onto his face from a washbasin near his bed, gave his hair a quick brush and then started down the stairs to the Inn's main lobby.

"I'm telling you, he's not that sort of person!"

The voice startled Tony. Rushing downstairs, he almost ran headlong into Woot. The wild blonde Magi waved a hand for him to be silent, and Tony peered out into the lobby.

Pruitt was arguing with Tryn about something; the Ringsmith's face was bright red and there were tears in her eyes, while Tryn was glaring at Pruitt with her hands on her hips.

"Look, I know how much you care about him, but you have to admit that he has been acting rather strangely of late. You have to have noticed – he has the stench of the Core about him!"

Pruitt was firm in her resolve. "I don't care. I know that Yaki's still a good person, no matter what he's gone through. I refuse to believe that he could become a Shadow Magi so easily! What I don't understand is why you're willing to throw him under the Carillion's feet without a second thought!"

Tony jumped at the mention of Yaki having the aura of a Shadow Magi. It would certainly explain some of the Trainer's behaviours, but still… Pruitt was right. Yaki didn't act like a Shadow Magi at all. Sneaking away from Woot and the others, he went back to his room and slipped out the window. Yaki was the only one who could answer this dilemma.

Tony found the blonde Magi in the Geyser grove. It was far gone from how he'd seen it before; the plant life was withering and black; the air was still and devoid of all sound except the rushing of the Gesyer.

Yaki was staring at the evil font; his expression was blank and Tony couldn't tell what he was thinking. But one thing was clear – while Tony himself felt slowed and sickened by the Geyser, Yaki was acting as if it didn't affect him at all.

"Yaki?" Tony's voice quavered a little. Now that he was here – despite trusting the Trainer – he felt nervous, and couldn't predict what would happen.

"Just under two dozen." Yaki's voice was rougher than it had been, and Tony could now clearly see a glint of red in the Magi's green eyes. "That was what you were going to ask, wasn't it. You were going to ask me how many times it's been now."

Tony's heart jumped. "You mean… it's happening for you too? Time is repeating?"

Yaki turned to face the Earthling and nodded. "Yeah. I have to say though, this is the first time it's happened so early." His face was worn and pained; although it was hard to tell, the Geyser had clearly affected him badly.

Tony was certain that his gulp had been audible; what could have happened to turn the care-free Trainer into such a hardened warrior? "Not for me; I always start just before I come to the Moonlands, and it ends when I leave. You…"

Yaki sighed and sat on the blackened grass. "I start when you leave. Tony… I wish I didn't have to tell you this, because I know it's going to hurt." The Magi's eyes were sad and distant, the memories weighing heavy upon him. "The Dark Twins invade Naroom. They ransack the Great Library, and I'm always cursed to use Void energy." He ignored Tony's gasp of horror and continued. "Evu is corrupted inside this Geyser, and he joins Agram. Korg takes over Bograth and declares war on Paradwyn; the Weave is hit almost as bad as Naroom, and the Cald declares war on Orothe and the Weave. I don't know much about Kybar's Teeth, the Underneath or D'resh. Nar, at least, aids Naroom in battle. The war has taken such a toll on all of us… And last time, I received a message from Shimmer informing me that one of the Invaders had made it past the Dream Barrier. I don't know how many other times that's happened."

Tony felt sick to his stomach, and he knew that the Geyser wasn't to blame. "Is it my fault? Is it because I stopped Agram? Because I left?"

Yaki looked at Tony, and the Earthling could tell that the Trainer was struggling to avoid drawing on the potent Void energy inside the Geyser. "Yes, but only because the Dark Twins were trying to fill the gap in power. Warrada in particular is extremely cunning; I know for a fact that after getting what she wants in the Library, she's willing to use it on her own brother."

Tony didn't know whether to punch a tree, Yaki or what. "So then nothing I do matters. If I stop the Geysers, the Moonlands end up in a big war. If I don't, they become sick, corrupted and rip for these "Invaders" you mentioned to pick. Is there anything I can do? You know, besides killing Warrada?"

Yaki moved so fast, Tony could barely blink, let alone react. One moment he was sitting on the ground, and the next he was staring Tony in the eye, his expression furious. "No. No killing. You may not know this, Tony, but Moonlanders DO NOT KILL. I saw one group kill a Shadow Magi – several times by now, might I add – and each time they've felt awful about it. And I've nearly killed Warrada myself – it may have been due to the Void magic, but it was still me. Do you know how awful it feels?"

Tony backed away from the angry Magi and tried to compose himself. "And I'm guessing that the Void energy doesn't just go away when time restarts, does it? I know that my magical strength sort of … builds, whenever it happens. I guess… It's like over one cycle I build a cake, and during the next cycle I build another cake and I stack the new one on top of the old one. Does that happen with your… um… issue?"

Yaki nodded. "Oh yeah. I've gotten better at supressing the hunger since there's not a lot of it around during my set, but here – now – with the Geyser, it's unbearable. I can't _stop_ feeding this time, and I can't really control it."

Tony blinked, and remembered what had inspired him to come find Yaki in the first place. "I ran into Tryn this morning; it seems like everyone in Vash Naroom has noticed your Core energy. Pruitt's been trying to stand up for you, but I don't think it'll be long before other people become suspicious."

Yaki's heart lifted at that. "Pruitt is supporting me? Even though she knows the dangers? I know that she isn't aware like us, but still… to know she's got my back – that'll be a big help."

Tony smiled. "I'll bet. How about we head back into town? We could both probably use some grub." He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Well, that and I kind of ran off on Woot this morning. He'll _probably_ be kind of mad at me."

Yaki dusted himself off and looked back at the Geyser one more time. "Yeah, you're probably right. Just letting you know now though; I don't eat as much as I used to. It's a side effect of the whole Core thing." He paused and glanced at Tony. "One question – how are we supposed to explain my Core aura to everyone back in town?"

"So, you ran off because you were worried about Yaki." Woot's serious voice was not to be taken lightly. "And you found him trying to stop the Geyser's corruption from spreading." Tony smiled and nodded. Everything could be solved by smiling and nodding. Actually, he might have to try that out one of these cycles… "And now, of course, Yaki stenches of Core magic." The wasperine-loving Magi massaged his forehead and sighed. "That still doesn't explain why he's so Core-taken HUNGRY!"

Yaki had, so far, drunk 5 pints of Poad's best ale, several roasted weebos, and was currently munching on a salad.

Tony shrugged. "All he told me was that the Core made him hungry; I figured that this was what he meant."

Woot just shook his head and groaned. "Look, just stay in your room tonight. I figure that otherwise, you'll just end up causing trouble without me."

That night, Yaki snuck up to Tony's window. The earthling Magi stumbled out of bed and opened it, letting the Core Stalker (that was his title, apparently) into his room.

Tony closed the window and turned to face the elder Magi. "So what are we going to do next? I'll be happy stay and help you with the Battle –"

Yaki held up a hand and cut him off. "I have a better idea. " He rummaged around in a satchel he was carrying and produced a book. "I went through the Library again, and I managed to find this." He held it out and Tony took it from him. "It's the most comprehensive guide to Magining I could find. I know that you wanted to work on that skill right now…"

Tony glanced at the author, and then raised a quizzical eyebrow at his friend. "You do realize that AGRAM wrote this book, don't you?"

The Core Stalker nodded. "Oh yeah, I know. I gave it a look-over before I brought it, and it seems like it was written before Agram went crazier than a Quanjel. The guy's got an ego sure, and he might mention secret allies once or twice… but overall, he was the best Maginer of his time. Nobody's been able to match him since." Yaki grinned. "I know you're gonna try it out, dude. Just remember – stick with the basics, ya dig?"

Tony grinned back. It would certainly be fun to defeat Agram using powers Tony had learned from the old sorcerer's book… "I think that we're going to totally rock this. In fact, when I get good enough, I'll make sure to Magine some defenses for you to use later."

Yaki placed a hand on the younger Magi's shoulder. "And as I am now, I'll be able to enter the Geyser with you. I promise that at least this time, you won't have to do it alone."

Tony hugged the blonde Magi tightly. "Thanks. You don't know how much that means to me."

Yaki was set off balance for a moment, but recovered quickly and hugged Tony back. "Any time you need me bro, any time. You can definitely count on it! Oh Yeah!"

- END PART 4 -

- Magi-Nation Loops - Prologue to Awakening -

Part 5: Advent of Darkness

Yaki had left to patrol the outskirts several hours ago, and Woot was currently posted outside of Tony's room at the Inn. While Tony didn't mind the daredevil Naroomi's company, he was starting to worry about the Geyser. The only way to stop it was with the Core Stone. And the only way to get the Core Stone was to enter the Geyser. The problem was that in order to get into the Geyser, he needed to visit Gia's house in The Weave.

And there was no way that Orwin would let Tony go to The Weave with Naroom in its current condition.

Tony sighed and massaged his temples. He had been scouring the book on Magining for hours now, and there was still nothing he had found that could help him. That wasn't to say that there was nothing there; it was simply that Agram had the tendency to ramble in his writings, and finding the relevant information was proving to be more difficult than he had anticipated.

Tony closed the book and got into bed, pulling the covers tight. What if he couldn't figure this out? And how long before Agram activated the Geyser in the Underneath? Had it already opened?

These thoughts swirled about in his tired head until he finally fell asleep.

The next day found him poring over the text again, searching for any hint on how to Magine. A few times he had almost thought he'd had it, but it had turned out to be tips for an advanced Maginer and not basics for the beginner.

Tony was becoming increasingly frustrated with his progress. He didn't know whether it was the Geyser, or if it was his own emotions getting the better of him. He was almost about to give up for the day when a line of text scribbled in the margin caught his eye. It was hastily written and looked like the author had added it in the spur of the moment.

- Blank crystals – good for focus. Infused don't work – why? -

This was it. This had to be the key to Magining that he had been missing all along. And of course, it had to be ridiculously simple. He couldn't tell if the Animite he had found in the cave was blank or not, but it stood to reason that the Dream Creature's energy signature in an infused piece would naturally block any new patterns from forming.

It also had to be the only object in his inventory that he hadn't tried that first day. Taking a deep breath, Tony pulled a crystal out of his wallet and focused. Slowly and hesitantly, the wavering form of a Baloo Root flickered in and out of view. Breathing rhythmically, he let it fade before trying again. This time he was more confident in his attempt. He was used to Dreaming up Creatures, and this would be no different with enough practice.

The second time was far more effective. The Baloo Root burst into being with a flash of light and sound, a few wisps of Dream Energy still radiating off of it. Tony picked it up gingerly, almost afraid that it would be hot to the touch. And yet, it felt like any other Baloo Root.

Dazed by his success, Tony decided to try Magining up a Cloud Frond, just to make sure he could. He had the Animite in his hand and was focusing his energy when Woot burst into his room. Startled, the Cloud Frond dissipated and ceased to be. The Naroomi's eyes flicked to the area where it had been briefly, before focusing on Tony again.

"Orwin has requested that I take you to Gia's house; it isn't safe for you to be here right now." Woot's voice was uncharacteristically clipped and terse; Tony could see that the Magi was tense and evaluating every possible exit.

"What happened? What's wrong?" Tony was worried. If another Geyser had opened up, it would most certainly mean that he had to speed things up.

Woot moved quickly to the dresser where the Earthling Magi had been keeping his personal effects, and started to move them into a haversack he'd brought with him. "Evu went into the Geyser. Tryn followed him, as did Barak – leader of the Cald. Orwin believes that they will be corrupted into Shadow Magi, and that we don't have much time." He turned to Tony and all but shoved the bag into the boy's arms. "All of Vash Naroom is evacuating; we aren't the only ones leaving."

Tony was floored. Certainly Yaki had told him about what happened, but now… it was the first time he had experienced it for himself, and he felt guilty about letting it happen. If he had only left when he was supposed to instead of learning a lost art – would it have changed anything? Would he have been able to move fast enough to prevent anyone from entering the Geyser, and avoided this whole mess?

Tony shook his head to clear away the thoughts, and followed Woot out of the Inn. Yaki and Pruitt were waiting for them, each with their own sack. Pruitt's eyes were red with dried tears, and Yaki's skin had turned ashen from the saturation of Void Energy that pervaded all of Naroom. The Core Stalker placed one hand on Tony's shoulder to comfort him, and then wordlessly turned and headed for the exit.

Pruitt smiled despite her worn face and followed him; Woot hiked his own haversack up his shoulder and moved forward determinedly. Tony glanced back at the Inn just once – back at Poad loading food and other supplies into the arms of waiting villagers, back at the place that had become a second home to him – and set off after them, into the black and withered forest; forward into what was now the unknown.

- END PART 5 -

- Magi Nation (GBC) Loops - Prologue to Awakening -

Part 6: Twists and Turns

Tony sighed and his haversack higher onto his back. While they had safely made it out of Naroom a few hours ago, the journey to The Weave was still taking a while. Hostile Dream Creatures were appearing left and right, and the constant battles were taking their toll on Tony and Yaki both. While Pruitt and Woot had helped fight when the group first left the forest, they had been unable to compete with the strength that their companions had gained over the many repetitions.

Stretching his arms as far as he could, he smiled at the sight of smoke rising in the distance. Soon they would be at Gia's cottage, he could get the Core Glyph and all would be well. Soon he would be able to start fixing things.

Yaki glanced at Tony. During the journey, the Earthling Magi had proved to be much stronger than anticipated. Relics, Spells – even his ability to command Dream-Creatures had become nearly flawless due to the strangeness of time. In comparison, his own skills had grown duller. Whether it was the Void Energy or his own lack of practice, he was certain that Tony would probably surpass him one of these days.

It was with weary feet and heavy hearts that they arrived at Gia's cottage. While Tony helped Pruitt with her bag, Woot went over to the door to inform the Weave Magi of their arrival.

"And who are you supposed to be?" Tony looked over to the cottage and saw Woot standing defensively in front of a strange, blue-haired Magi in red robes. Woot growled and raised his fists, a ring glittering dangerously on his finger. "You're not Gia. Where is she? And why are you here?"

The strange Magi said nothing, but stared oddly at Tony. Something in the cottage rustled, and he stepped aside as Gia came out, wiping her hands with a rag.

"I'm glad to see all of you finally made it. I'm sorry about my guest; he rarely visits anyone, so I'm afraid he's a little repressed." She strode over to where Tony was, took his haversack and hoisted it over her shoulder. "Well, let's not waste any time. Everyone, come in and put your feet up for a moment. The journey from Vash Naroom must have been a hard one."

Grateful to see that the elderly Magi was still alive and well, Tony followed her inside, pausing only briefly to glance at her mysterious guest. He seemed somehow familiar, and his golden eyes were sharp and calculating. Deciding it could wait until later, Tony found a chair near the fire and sat down. He was asleep within minutes, his bones craving a rest that had been sorely needed.

He awoke several hours later to a quiet house. The only noise came from the fire and a pot of soup that had been hung over the flames. Gia was nowhere to be seen, and the three Naroomi were sleeping soundly in whatever corner they had been able to find. Even Yaki – who no longer needed much sleep - was caught up in slumberland.

Tony rose to his feet quietly, not wishing to disturb the sleepers, and headed for the door. He needed to talk to Gia, had to find a way to fix everything – or at least to make sure that the world didn't end up destroyed like that one time.

"Gia's in the garden, if you're looking for her."

The stranger's voice made Tony start, and the Earthling's first reaction was to reach for his Furok ring. "Don't do that! You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

The stranger laughed, and emerged from a shadowed wall near the hearth. "You survived. But like I said, if you're looking for Gia, she's in the garden. Probably getting something for dinner, I'd imagine."

Tony relaxed a little, but something about this guy… in a way, he almost didn't feel _natural_. "So, who exactly are you? I know that the others probably grilled you already, but I don't know who you are and that bugs me."

The stranger shrugged. "You've got fair reason to. With the world in the state that it is, you can't exactly trust everyone you run into. But as for who I am, my name is Rayje. I doubt you've heard of me, but I can assure you that I have no intention of being your enemy."

Tony had to admit that the mysterious Magi was right – to a point – but still… "Sorry if I'm a little on edge, but something about you just –"

"- rubs you the wrong way, right?" Rayje grinned – it was a catlike grin, entirely predatory. "Yeah, I can see why that would be the case. But as for why… well, I may get to that in time. Or I may never tell you. It depends."

This just made Tony curious. "It depends on what? Your mood?"

Rayje headed for the door and looked back only once. "On whether or not I decide to trust you."

- END PART 6 -

- Magi-Nation: Prologue to Awakening, Part 7 -

Part 7: Decisions Made

After a filling meal that night, Tony had fallen asleep to the gentle sound of the grass whispering outside. Yaki and Woot took turns keeping watch, and the mysterious Rayje sat by the fire, staring deep into the flames.

"_Such a strange place the Moonlands have become. They are nothing like El, nor like my island home." _He sighed, and gave the fire a poke. _"I wonder… will these people be able to weather the coming storm? Will they be able to withstand Agram's might? He has wrought such destruction…"_

Yaki sat on the roof, watching the light of the planet above and silently trying to grasp the Void energies that lay in Naroom. A part of him desperately wanted to be free of the hunger that had consumed him for so long; a hunger that, by now, was an intrinsic part of him.

And Tony… Tony had grown so strong. To have sought out the ancient art of Magining, he was either bored or desperate. But now – knowing what would become of the Moonlands when he left – what choices would he make? Would he do everything he could to prevent the war? Would he choose to stay and fight? Or would he place his trust in the Core Stalker and his allies?

On a whim, Yaki rose to his feet and closed his eyes. Maybe… it might not have to be _Void_ energy. Doubtless it would always be a part of him, but there were twelve other regions – twelve other energies – out there waiting. And it was a specific one that the Core Stalker was reaching for.

A few tense moments went by, and Yaki could hear his heart beating furiously. At first, all he could feel from Naroom was the darkness. But slowly – surely – he became aware of a sensation akin to birdsong. Sudden and piercing, it warbled faintly, almost desperate and relieved to have found him. Standing on the edge – between Darkness and Birdsong, Yaki jumped into the pool of green that had opened before him –

_And became the Forest. Became every root, every tree, every branch. He was the magic of the forest – of life and sunlight and growth. Of fresh earth and new buds and green leaves reaching for the warm summer sky. And he was large – larger than he had been, Every living thing that walked or crawled or flew or buzzed – he was all of these and he surrounded all of them._

Gasping, he pulled himself back from the shimmering green and back to the roof of Gia's hut. The magic was far stronger than he had anticipated – far more vibrant and strong-willed than he'd remembered. Perhaps it was his change – perhaps accepting the magic of the Core had made him more in tune with other types of Magic. And if the Magic of the Forest was so much bigger, perhaps the Void was far more than Agram – or any Shadow Magi – could have anticipated. It was risky, but… to abandon such a prospect would be folly.

Taking a deep breath, he reached out once again. The hunger was easier to find – more enticing – but this time the Birdsong and Green lay just beneath the surface, waiting to be released. Once again at the edge of Darkness, he jumped in.

**He was as shadow, silent – cunning – swift, and he was all places dark. Every stair steeped in gloom and every corner where ideas turned and fortunes changed hands every hour. He was every grim plot, every foul deed and dirty back-alley-dealing. He was the sky. He was the shadow of El, watching the Moonlands from afar, and gazing down at the pitiable invaders that scrapped through ruined cities and desperately avoided touching the wasted ground below. He was the dark, cool places beneath the earth, the shadowy mountain roots. The birdsong warbled back at him; he was the cool shade beneath the trees, and the dark and mysterious forest heart. Darkness was so many things…**

That had NOT been what he was expecting. He had anticipated a sick, corrupting touch that blackened the world and oozed through the Moon's core… but this was pure. The Darkness of the Core… what he had touched was uncorrupted by Agram's touch. There had been some vile deeds certainly, but there had also been sorrow and wonder. It was no wonder why Agram had turned to such magic.

But there was still the knife-edge to walk. If he could master the darkness – a tall order, and one he would need every ounce of time to accomplish – then he might be able to fix what Agram had broken.

Yaki paused a moment, considering his options. And then he looked at his hands, smiling. It seemed that he'd made the choice long, long ago; when he had first tasted the Darkness and chosen to wield the Void instead of letting it destroy him.

It might take forever, and no doubt he would fall more than a few times along the way. But this was the path he had chosen. The Dark Hunger and The Green Birdsong; both would be his power, and his strength to support others. If Tony would master one of the Arts that Agram had forsaken, then Yaki would master the other.

But for now, he was content to watch the stars and the woods below, relishing in his choice to be a part of both.

- END PART 7 -

- Magi-Nation: Prologue to Awakening -

Part 8: Conversational Asides

Tony awoke the next morning feeling more refreshed and relaxed than he had in several days. Perhaps it was the lack of Void Energy pressing down on him, but even his energy levels felt higher than they had before. He could hear someone bustling about in the kitchen, and a delicious smell wafted down the halls. Tony's stomach growled, and he reluctantly left his warm bed and headed for the dining room.

He found everyone save for Gia seated at the main table, and even Yaki was eagerly devouring a bowl of porridge. "You seem in good spirits this morning."

Yaki nodded. "Yeah! I did some soul-searching last night, and I think it really helped. I'm feeling a ton better now, ya dig?"

Pruitt giggled. "You even sound like your old self. I'm glad to see that you're back to normal, Yaki." She laid her head on his shoulder, and sighed contentedly. "You smell like the forest again."

Tony took a seat and accepted a bowl of mushy oats from Rayje. "So besides trying to figure out how to deal with the geyser – and how to heal Naroom – does anybody have an idea of what we should do today?"

Rayje took a moment to swallow his breakfast, washing the porridge down with a swig of ale. "For one thing, we're going to work on your Magining skills. Yaki mentioned your progress to Gia, and I at least feel that mastering such a skill would prove vital."

Tony glanced at Yaki curiously. "Just to be clear, I'm guessing you told her after I fell asleep yesterday?"

Yaki nodded, engrossed in his breakfast and trying to eat with one arm – Pruitt having occupied the other. "Yup. It's a rare skill, and Gia's one of the smartest Magi you could ever meet. I figured that she'd have a trick or two to teach you."

Woot drained his mug and wiped his hand on his sleeve. "Speaking of, has anybody seen Gia around? She wasn't here when I got up this morning."

"She's likely worried about her student." Rayje stood up from the table and carried his bowl over to the wash bin. "He didn't arrive with you, and he hasn't been here since I arrived a week ago."

Tony looked at his porridge, his heart heavy and a frown on his face. "Eidon… I haven't seen him in a while myself. I hope he's okay."

The entire table was silent for a moment, the only sounds coming from Rayje cleaning up. Fed up with the silence, Yaki stood up abruptly. "Well, we can't stand around moping. All we can do right now is move forward and find a way to help those who've been touched by Agram's corrupted magic."

The shattering of a plate caught everyone's ear. Tony turned – startled by the sharp sound – and saw Rayje fumbling for the pieces. "Are you okay?'

Rayje nodded, trying not to get cut. "I am fine. Yaki merely caught me by surprise; I'd thought that all knowledge of Agram had faded from the minds of the Eliwan. Few Magi even remember that he exists."

Yaki shrugged. "I found a book he wrote on Magining; the guy interested me, so I looked him up in the Great Library. I didn't exactly like what I found though."

Rayje paused and glanced at Tony. "You are learning Magining… from a book Agram wrote?"

Tony nodded. "The guy may be a nasty piece of work, but I have to admit that he knows his stuff. Neither of us were able to find anything else on Magining – just his works – and they're really detailed."

Rayje allowed himself a small smile. "Agram was the best Maginer of all the Ancients. His skill was so great that he even created new life, long before the Moonlands came to be."

Something inside Tony clicked, and a piece of the puzzle fell into place. "He created you. That's why you make me so uneasy – you sound like Agram, and I'm willing to bet that you look just like him." Tony swallowed. It was hard to say such things and not sound like he was accusing the elder Magi. "I'm not trying to offend you, it's just that…"

Woot spoke up, voicing Tony's thoughts. "Figuring out that you're related to the guy who ruined our lives is kind of sudden." He grinned. "Though it does make me think… If my Wasperines can beat you in a Magi Duel, could they beat this Agram guy? I'm getting fired up just thinking about it!"

Rayje's smile turned into a predatory grin. "I've been around for far longer than any Magi could ever dream of. I've seen battles that would make your Wasperines seem dismal in comparison. But I'd be happy to teach you a thing or two – it might help you on the road ahead."

Tony groaned. Of all things, a single comment had turned the small house into a battlefield. "At least take it outside. I don't want to be the one to explain to Gia exactly what we did to her house."

- END PART 8 -

- Magi-Nation – Prologue to Awakening -

Part 9 – The Path of Conflict

The small group of Magi – consisting of Tony, Yaki, Pruitt, Woot and Rayje – relocated to the outskirts of Gia's property; near enough that they could still see the house, but far enough that they wouldn't cause too much damage. Pruitt, however, seemed to have forgotten something and quickly ran back to Gia's cottage.

Tony's stomach twisted with unease, and he moved carefully until he was next to Yaki. "So how are they going to go about this? Are there special rules, or is it just like battling Salafy?"

Yaki shook his head, concern etched on his brow. "I'm not sure why, but… it seems that during this repeat, Magi-Duels are very formal events. Each must only use three Creatures, Relics and Spells. Creatures and Spells may be used at any point so long as you have the energy, but Relics are a one-time thing."

His face became grim, and his eyes began to gleam with an eerie green light. "Though I am interested in seeing how this pans out; the similarities, and the differences to our normal world."

Tony nodded, then focused back on the two Magi about to engage in combat. Rayje had taken up the northern position, and Woot had taken the south. Pruitt ran out of the house and stood roughly betwixt both Magi, holding a small wooden horn. Taking a deep breath, she blew into the horn with all her might.

Both Magi leapt backwards, drawing on as much energy as they could to fortify themselves for the fight ahead. For a moment the mood was tense – who would be the first to act, and how?

Woot was the first to move. In a moment, he had called forth 2 Wasperine Stalkers and a single Wasperine; both Stalkers seemed to catch Rayje's scent and bolted forward, each getting a good attack in before the older Magi had time to summon something.

Staggering backwards from the force of the blow, Rayje raised one hand high over his head, and a piercing cry echoed from the Dream Plane. A magnificent Monarch Hyren shimmered into view, though it seemed that the mere act of calling on it had worn greatly on Rayje. Despite the setback, he still bore a confident grin on his face.

Breathing in deeply, Rayje let the energy around him replenish what he had lost. It wasn't much, but moving forward, any little bit would help.

"My hyrens have _nothing_ on that thing." Yaki stared up at the mythical beast Rayje had called out with awe; to see a Monarch Hyren was a rare sight indeed.

Rayje retook his footing, and with one gesture commanded his Hyren to attack the three Wasperines that the energetic Magi had summoned. "Not a bad move at all, but whether or not you attack first means nothing!"

Woot grimaced as one of his Wasperine Stalkers was crushed under the Hyren's paw, and felt its energy dissipate. "You may have gotten one of my Wasperines, but you can't crush all of them at once. Not even your mighty Hyren is that strong!"

Rayje brushed the boasts aside. "And yet, I have not finished." With a few words hastily muttered and the giving of his energy, Rayje cast two spells. "First, I'd like to introduce you to the spell Undertow. This Orothian Magic sends one of your creatures back to the Dream Plane. My target is your Wasperine!"

Woot watched in horror as his wasperine – his beloved Waspy – dissipated into energy. "And let me guess – you've got one more thing coming, don't you!"

Rayje nodded. "My second spell comes from the Cald – Fireball. While it can't fully dissipate your second Stalker, it won't stand much of a chance for long." A scorching sphere of heat proved his point; the Stalker seemed too weak to stand by now.

Frustrated by this strange legend, Woot reached out with his spirit for more energy. "And you, of all people, should know strategy when you see it!" With a flourish of his hand and his rings glinting in the sun, Woot called back the Wasperine and Wasperine Stalker that he had lost.

"And if you can use spells, so can I. I'll start with Overgrowth – This baby will allow one of my Wasperines – I'll choose my weakest Stalker – to gain the Focus skill. I'll also use a Sap of Life spell on it – to fully restore it to health." The Stalker sighed as the magic infused it, making it stronger. "Lastly, I'll cast Crushing Roots on your Hyren!"

Rayje flinched as his Hyren was seized by the colossal roots that sprang from the ground. "If that's all you have for me, then you've lost this fight." Breathing deep, Rayje drew on the life of the world around him. Glancing at his Hyren, he begged it silently to hold out just a bit longer.

Woot's eager expression turned uneasy. If the elder magi wasn't going to do something, then he was probably saving up his energy for something big. Better to attack now and get things over with, before he had time to try something.

Settling his stance and energy, he felt a ripple of excitement from his lead Stalker – time to go. Moving quickly, he cast a quick Overgrowth on his second Stalker – while it wouldn't kick in now, the effects later would prove useful.

"Waspy, target the Hyren. I'm gonna back you up." With a roar, Woot cast another Crushing Roots. The roots reach up, up high – and promptly retreated whence they came. Woot glared at Rayje, who was holding a golden gem aloft.

"Nice Try, but my Tomorrow's Jewel will cancel out that Crushing Roots of yours. I wouldn't want a repeat performance." Rayje's grin was massive. "There's always a different way of looking at things."

Woot 's smile fractured into a full-blown grin. "And I did." He gestured at Waspy and the two stalkers, waiting on the battlefield. Waspy struck the Hyren once, followed by the second Stalker. Their combined might proved to be too much for the Creature, and it faded back to the Dream Plane.

The second Stalker charged at Rayje. One glance at the Dream Creature was all it took; he had no energy left with which to defend himself. "I cede. The victory is yours; my playing it safe was nothing against your full-force attack." Rayje sighed, and his face grew grim. "Do not think that a single victory means that you can face Agram. He is far more cunning than I, and far stronger."

The Magined Magi placed one hand on Woot's shoulder. "I want you to take this lesson with though on your journey – expect _everything_. Sometimes it pays to charge in, other times it is far better to be defensive. And while Relics, Spells and Creatures are all menacing in their own right, your own mind is by far the most dangerous enemy you will ever face."

- END PART 9 -


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